Tuesday, 31 March 2009

It's 11.06am. Your friends are arriving on the 11.11 train. The op shop near the station is open and looks tempting. You have exactly five minutes. What do you do?

Me, I go in and head straight for the linens, or what we in Australia quaintly call 'Manchester'. Today I found three small sheets in this vintage fabric that I have been collecting. I don't know much about it but you quite often see it in oppys - I have been trying to get enough to make a quilt for my son's room. It's really groovy.

Also these unusual linen place mats with sheep on, good for the kids.

And a cute vintage pinny. I love these!

Next I ALWAYS head for the children's books. Actually this is my favourite section but I go to the linens first because there is more competition for nice linens, tee hee! I found this little batch of vintage books, including a lovely edition of Sleeping Beauty that I haven't come across before.

That's my five minutes up! If I had more time I would next go to the bric a brac, then to the craft books and habadashery, then lastly to the clothes, which are not so much my thing. What is your oppy shopping pattern?

Yeah, I'm guessing that it has something to do with the Manchester textile industry! Manchester links to Liverpool (where I come from) by a canal and many of the ships to Australia came from Liverpool so I guess they brought lots of linen goodies! The first time I saw the term in a department store over here I thought it was very odd! x

same op shop pattern here, too! plus then i look at the kids clothes - i found the most excellent baby sized vintage kimono the other day. i have those cool sheets - they are on Leon's cot mattress right now! and i use them on my softie blocks...x

linens, dresses for large pieces of fabric to be reinvented, buttons and other sewing things and shoes just in case my perfect pair are waiting. I used to do plates to smash but not alllowed to do that at our new place. :( checking the books now instead. :)

Wow Allison - 5 minutes? Impressive, very impressive. I don't think I would let myself stumble in if I was so time restricted. Not possible for me, despite what I like to tell myself 9and the kids!).

That first sheet you have there is a Sheridan. Brings back memories for me too - I have recently rescued mine from the parent's garage (along with the orange and yellow curtains). Mid 70's if my memory is correct.

I love your topic - it had never occured to me to have an order (duh). This may indeed help me as I usually get all aggitated because I don't know where to begin. This may also have something to do with the unruly 2 year old in tow of course!

Wow..great 5 mins! I love op-shopping so much that I opened a shop! Well, it's really a stall in an antique centre, we sell vintage clothes and collectables, but it's still fun.So my order has changed a bit....1.Furniture: not for the shop 'cos it won't fit but because I can't help myself.2.Linen:which I love and doesn't go in the shop anymore 'cos it never sells (??? where are these linen lovers when you need them!)3.Bric-a-brac4.Women's dresses5.Sometimes children's books: vintage one's to use in artwork6.Shoes7.Jewellery

I always put business before pleasure these days, so it's buttons and doilies, and a peek inside any drawers or cupboards for vintage lino.Then I do pretty much the same as you,but always scan the shoes...as you never know!!!!

I love those sheets!!I currently have on my bed, a quilt cover made from fabric very similar to the sheets, I had thought it was identical but now that I have just looked at it properly it isnt! I have got slightly different people (no cool looking bobbie), images, flags and letters, etc. Same colours though. It must be a somewhat modern version because the fabric is a polycotton blend.

My mum always goes straight to craft/yarn/fabric. For me it depends on the opshops. In the past I always went straight for books as I am a collector, but probably now manchester, fabrics/haberdashery, shoes & handbags, clothes, toys. I pretty much like to scour every cm of the shop!!